Nevada basketball opens with home exhibition games

Caleb and Cody Martin return to the Wolf Pack after helping the team to the Sweet 16 in 2017-18.

The Nevada men’s basketball team will kick off the highly anticipated 2018-19 season with a pair of exhibition games in Reno this month, the Wolf Pack announced.

Nevada will be play Washington at Lawlor Events Center on Sunday, Oct. 21, in an exhibition game with all proceeds donated to wildfire victims. The game is set for 3 p.m. and all seating will be general admission at Lawlor. Tickets prices are $15 for adults and $10 for seniors and children eighth grade and younger.

The Wolf Pack will also bring back its popular Throwback at Virginia Street Gym that debuted last season. On Friday, Oct. 26, Nevada will take on San Francisco State at the VSG with tip-off at 7 p.m. The Wolf Pack will wear special retro uniforms for the event. Last year’s event sold out and this year’s is expected to as well. Tickets are $25 per person. To purchase tickets go to NevadaWolfPack.com or call 775-348-PACK (7225).

“We are really excited for the opportunity to play Washington in an exhibition game,” Nevada head coach Eric Musselman said. “Coach Hopkins does a great job and the Huskies are a top 25 team. The contrasts in style will be a great test and opportunity for our Wolf Pack players. Washington primarily plays a zone defense and has tremendous length.”

The Wolf Pack’s intrasquad Silver & Blue Scrimmage for students will tip off at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 11, at the Virginia Stree Gym. Student IDs will be required for entry.

“We are excited to be having the Silver & Blue Scrimmage,” Musselman said. “We feel we have the best student section in the country and this game which is only open to the student body, will give those students an up close and personal chance to see this year’s team. We look forward to seeing Virginia Street Gym packed for this scrimmage and the student section packed for all home games this season.”

Students that attend the event may appear in the Wolf Pack’s run-out video that will be used for introductions at Lawlor Events Center this season. The Pack will scrimmage and conduct a dunk and 3-point contest.

Funds raised from the charity game with Washington will go to the Northern California Wildfire Relief fund through the California Community Foundation and will be directed specifically to victims of the Carr Fire this summer in Northern California.

The defending Mountain West champions advanced to the Sweet 16 in last year’s NCAA Tournament. The Wolf Pack return Cody and Caleb Martin, 6-foot-7-inch twin brothers from Mocksville, North Carolina. Both declared for the NBA Draft before deciding to comeback to the Biggest Little City.